So Much To Be Thankful For

...this year once again brought so much to be thankful for.

Thanksgiving 2010 went off with a bang. It was such a great weekend from beginning to end.

This year was our year. We decided that it would be fun to host Thanksgiving for everyone at our new house. We are just so proud of it and what's better than having all of the ones you love over to celebrate and give thanks.

We had a total of 17 for dinner - Brian, McKenna & I, my family - Mom, Dad, Kristen, Lizzie, Aunt Lynn, Uncle Rick, Danny & Mikey and Brian's family - Mom, Dad, Eric, Sabrina, Kevin, & Uncle Doug. It was a full house, but we wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

I asked Lizzie to be my photographer for the day and she definitely did exactly as I asked...she captured our day perfectly! Thanks Beanie, I love you!

The pictures will walk you through our weekend....let's start with Wednesday...

you think I could host Thanksgiving on my own? uh, no! Thank goodness my mom lives only 10 minutes away!!!She co-hosted with me and began teaching me her Thanksgiving specialness! We had so much fun prepping together - then again there isn't much we don't have fun doing together!!! ...a special thanks also goes to Aunt Krissy for babysitting McKenna all day for me! Love you!

some of the supplies...

lots of prep happening

my one special dish...Green Bean Casserole!

Dad only drove back and forth between our houses 10 times that day :)

Trippy was helping too!

The Wednesday Night before Thanksgiving is known as Black Wednesday or I've even heard it called Blackout Wednesday. It's one of the biggest nights to go out and party with all of your high school friends. When we were in college, we did just that and man was it fun. I'll admit that there were many years when the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade was watched with hazy hazy eyes.

Well, times have now changed for us. Brian & I are now known to someone as Mom & Dad. ...and well, even bigger...someone calls Brad, DAD now too! Um...plus, I'm pregnant...

Since we weren't going out, we decided that we would have some friends over instead to celebrate the Eve of Thanksgiving. Brad, Megan & Brayden weren't the only ones who came over...our friends Greg & Anne came too.

After a few appetizers...Brad introduced his Beer guessing game. He picked up 5 different types of beers from different regions around the world, and we had to guess which one we were drinking. There was even going to be a prize for the person who picked the most correct!

as you can see, I was very indecisive...but I was also allowed only a very small taste :)
I only got one correct...booo!

Brayden enjoyed the game too...can't you tell?!

Well, didn't that just work out perfectly...the Samples won!
Brad & Meg tied with 3 correct.
The surprise prize? A gift card to Burger King!
I would have been more jealous if it was to McDonalds!

Thursday...THANKSGIVING!!!

McKenna's First Thanksgiving!

getting ready - rinsing the turkey

Brian had to help...it was heavy!

playing with Daddy while we wait for our guests to arrive

Lizzie helping get the stuffing out of the turkey

let the festivities begin!
Sabrina, Eric, Brian, Kenna, Kris, and Dad enjoying some appetizers

Kris, Barb & McKenna

me & my Momma

I am SO thankful for YOU, my sweet girl!

McKenna with Uncle Kevin, Daddy, & Uncle Eric

Thanks Aunt Lynn, Uncle Rick, Danny & Mikey!
I'll forever remember my first Thanksgiving with my new platter!
Love you guys!

McKenna & Auntie Lynn

Dad, Mikey & Danny watching football

I'm so funny

Kenna's got a turkey on her butt!

gearing up to carve his first turkey!

Brian & I...oh and Benson...wowza!

one of three tables...the dining room

table scape...great pic, Liz!

McKenna & Uncle Doug

The Newlyweds! Aunt Sabrina & Uncle Eric lovin' on Kenna

Trippy is thankful for...turkey!

cleaning GP's glasses

prayer before dinner...Lizzie made sure to get a good shot of Danny & Mikey holding hands!

the spread

McKenna ate turkey in turkey gravy too...she wasn't so sure about it though

dinner goes fast...clean up begins

Lizzie lovin' on our Benny Boo!

McKenna's Aunts sure do love her!

As you can see, Thanksgiving was absolutely wonderful. We couldn't have asked for better!

On Saturday, we headed over to the Witkowski's for their annual tree trimming. My mother-in-law, Barb, has us over every year to put up the ornaments on their Christmas tree. She always makes sure to do it while she has all of us in town!

A Mom and her sons!

this was Sabrina's first time at the Witkowski tree trimming!

Uncle Eric...just get me a little closer...I can't quite reach it!

We truly have so much to be thankful for this year. A year ago, I could have never guessed ...the new house...another baby on the way... Notre Dame beating USC... what will the next year bring us?

At this point, I don't care. I have everything I could have ever wanted.

I have a loving family.

I have a wonderful husband.

I have the most amazing daughter.

I have the silliest puppy.

I have... a SON on the way.

Wow.

I'd say I'm one lucky girl.